The Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School is suing the city over claims it should pay $360,000 in improvement costs that were charged to the school as rent.
If the city is unable to provide a charter school with space at a public school building, it is required by state law to pay for rent at a private location.
The city will pay the charter school’s yearly rent of $325,000 for the ground floor at 250 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn, according to a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.
St. James Roman Catholic Church owns the five-story, over 51,000-square-foot St. James Condominium, which houses the school, the New York Post reported.
The charter school fixed the floors, installed a PA system and new guardrails, and did asbestos remediation, according to court documents. It cost $360,000 for the repairs, which the church charged to the school as rent, the Post reported.
The $325,000 yearly rent is below market rate, according to court documents. [NYP] — Dusica Sue Malesevic